Elektron-Users

Hello again,

my english is not the best, therefore I made a picture for you!

Can I do this with Elektron Hardware?

Which problems will I get? (Midi Latency, other problems ..)

Thank you very much for answer!


Sorry I'm not a graphic specialist but I posted that picture here, too in the first post:

http://music-society.net/index.php/topic,206.msg502.html#new

Sorry dude, my german-fu is not strong..
and i think i have to register at the other forum to see a picture..


Frage 1 - Mehrspur-Audiointerface?
Yes, if you want multi-track recording.. you need an interface with allot of INPUT and OUTPUT.
and you need some multitrack recording software on your pc (think of cubase/sony acid/reaper/presonus one/sonar)

Frage 2 - Harddiscrekorder?:
I got one, a vs2400.. its awesome.. but.. its OLDSKOOL.. computers are more efficient.
besides, there almost as expansive as a brandnew pc with an interface card on it..
so, there is no reason to use hdd-recorder unless you find one.. (computer is cheaper/better)

Frage 3 - Mixer mit USB 2.0 Übertragung:
Most of these mixers, only put the main-out on the usb-bus.. so its "stereo recording"
instead of multi-channel recording.. So, read the manual before buy.. it can be cheaper then a seperate interface and a mixer.. but.. hmm i prefer a nice mixer, and a nice seperate interface for this stuff..


Insgesamt gilt:

Also ich such jetzt nicht die zig Tausend EUR Megastudio Lösungen sondern sozusagen die trickreichen billigen Sachen!
If this means.. i dont want to spend allot of money.. sell your hardware and do everything in software... hehehe.. hardware is always more expensive.. and hardware wants more hardware.. computers just need to be replaced every X year.. or just add another vst
And yes, computers come with latency.. and midi jitter and crashes.. and instability
and you have to figure out how to set them up propperly.. (which can be a pain)

Anyways, I hope you can read this easier then i could read the german stuff..
and i hope it helps you out a bit.. but not sure..

Enjoy

thank you very much for your help! And yes, working with software is easier and I do this, too but I like to built a good live setup, too!

The questions in the other forum I can fix there but thank you for your good tips!

I zipped the picture here (I hope it works?):



My main question is, can I work with Monomachine as a Master like on that picture to control the other hardware and will I get some problems if I do it like this? (Midi problems ... ? )


Mixers with USB 2.0 (with them you can record 18 tracks simultaneously!)

http://www.thomann.de/de/phonic_phhb24u.htm
http://www.thomann.de/de/alesis_multimix_16_usb_20.htm

an they're not so expensive!


EDIT:
Now, I have a problem with my first post here, too! I can edit but can't save it anymore! It seems to be locked? Sorry for doing something wrong here! I only tried to delete that other forum link and put the zip file there instead!

I work with Mono as master and various midied synths just using the thru port.

hmm, i dont open zippies from webpages, to scared of viri and all that. (sorry)
but here goes the standard midi-talk..

midi in midi thru -> machine B midi in.. AND machine C midi in..
So machine A can talk to Machine B and C directly..

or a midi merger (midi combining machine)
Machine B midi out AND machine C midi out -> merger -> machine A midi in..
Machine A can be controlled by MAchine B and C AT THE SAME TIME..

Hope this makes sence, heh..

Anyways thats why on the other forum they say buy a 8port midi-interface..
then you can have your computer do the routing/merging and all that..

hence, this is why I say.. Hardware wants more hardware..

1 groovebox.. and you can just use headphone..
2 grooveboxes and you need extra wires.. and possibly a mixer
3 grooveboxes and you probably need wires.. and for automation purposses a merger
4 grooveboxes and there is wires a mixer a merger and a thrubox
etc etc..

and if you do everything by computer.. you just need some software.. some monitors/headphones.. and a cheap midicontroller.. hehehehe
hence.. its cheaper after 20 years of making techno with grooveboxes..
i spend more on midi-mergers/thru-boxes/routers.. then i paid for my laptop
heheheh

@EMNINE:

And you have no problems with midi latency ... ? I like to sync 4 hardware synths with the monomachine and two of them will control with the sequencer, too!

@THE DREAMER:

Please trust me, I made that zip file self and don't put a virus in that!

And thank you again for midi tips! I think I understand that.

OK to fix the problems with that picture I try to explain step-by-step what I mean and with my bad englisch!

1. Monomachine = Master

2. Monomachine MIDI Out goes to MIDI IN of a MIDI Box like that:

http://www.thomann.de/de/kenton_midi_thru_5.htm

3. From that MIDI Box this hardware will control by monomachine:

- Octratrack (only Midi Transport signals)
- Machinedrum (only Midi Transport signals)
- Access Virus B (2 or 3 Monomachine Midisequencer Tracks)
- Korg Trinity (2 Monomachine Midisequencer Tracks)

And my question is, is this an optimal setup and can I work without problems like that?

So, can the monomachine control a setup like that without problems?

Have I something special to note with this setup ... ?

Yes, as you described it.. you have a 99% successrate (i dont say 100% cause, you never know, i had shitty midi-thru box once, my dtx did not work with it)..

What emnine says also goes.. you can "daisy-chain" everything.. if everything has midi-thru
(which is NOT the case in my studio, so i could not do that even if i wanted to)
For the machines which could do this.. i chained them all.. and yes it worked.. not noticeable delays or such...

Though, it was messy.. and well.. if you want to take out stuff.. you break your chain, and stuff stops working.. So, the thru-box is a nice idea, easier error-checking.. neater.. and easier to take something out.. use it on the sofa.. and plug it back after..

anyways, never heard bad of kenton midi-thru stuff, but never bought stuff from them..
my phillip reece thru-box was NOT compatible with my yamaha dtx.. so hmm.. I ended up with stuff from midi-solutions..
works like a dream..

Enjoy..

Some of my stuff was made as follows:
Mono master -> midi out to MD midi in > midi thru to NL2X and midi out to MFB drum machine (because both have no THRU port) and it worked. The maximum number I did was 4 or 5 units.
No problems encountered.

ok, thank you that are good messages!

I think I will try it with that Kenton Box, it's not as expansive as a MOTU ...

And it's good to know, that I can work with MIDI Thru only, too!


Hardware vs software:

I worked 5 years with hardware, then I worked 10 years with software.

With my good software setup I can make tracks and remixes very easy and fast and I have many VST plugins like Omnisphere, Sylenth, Vanguard, Surge, z3ta2, Synplant ... and If I program them myself, they sound good and I could produce some releases with that setup, too.

So, yes with software today you can do many things

The reason I go back to a hardware setup is:

1.
I think it looks really terrible if musicians only go live with a notebook! Yes it works but ...

2.
I think the Elektron Sequencers are very creative and with that special workflow of them, I can do other things like my typical mouse and controller work with my software?

For example I tried to clone that Parameter Locks Feature in my DAW - no Chance! Yes I can do many modulations tricks with drawing modulations ... but it's not so freaky like in an Elektron sequencer ...

3.
There are many great software plugins available but especially the monomachine sounds and Korg Trinity, too, are hardware synths I don't find a really good software alternative which can sound like them?

OK, the Access Virus is a standard VA Synth, which can easily replace with plugins!

4. Today some great hardware synths are very cheap!

For 15 years I paid 5000 DM (3000 EUR) for a Korg Trinity. Today I bought one for 349 EUR in good condition! My Omnisphere did cost 369 EUR!

Well.. it sounds, you got a plan.. you got most your stuff
get cracking

only reason i use laptop.. is because its easier to sit next to my misses with a laptop and an octatrack while she watches her soaps if she not at home.. i do it with hardware